Tel Aviv - A Cultural Melting Pot
Tel Aviv - A Cultural Melting Pot
Possibly not your first thought when considering a few days away but with an increasing number of people singing its praises we wanted to see for ourselves what this alternative destination had to offer, and if it was worth visiting.
Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline with a population of around 450,000, Tel Aviv is widely considered as the tech capital of the Middle East, but don’t assume that means it’s all work and no play. Tel Aviv’s nightlife is exactly what it should be, fun, safe and entertaining. The city itself definitely isn't the prettiest, nor the cleanest but that somehow adds to its charm and culture, especially given the difficulties it once faced. When exploring somewhere different food is always near the top of the agenda and Tel Aviv didn't disappoint. A particular favourite we all agreed on was the Shakshouka, a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion and garlic with fresh bread.
In contrast to the great strides Tel Aviv is making in technology, we visited Jaffa for the day, a nearby port steeped in rich history, it was established around 1,800 BC and was a brilliant mix of traditional markets, pop up restaurants and locals just going about their daily lives. It was almost as if we were invisible, especially to some of the drivers out there! We found a quiet bar overlooking a busy marketplace and sat there for a good few hours, soaking up the local culture (beer included). The barman gave us a commentary on what was happening every time something unusual passed by, giving us a real insight into life there.
We decided it would be rude not to visit Jerusalem whilst in Israel so we took the hour-long coach journey to the holy city. Jerusalem in some ways isn't much different from most other big cities, the usual high street speckled with global brands so for a minute we wondered if we were in the right place. After a quick pit stop and Google map search we headed towards the famous Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, a sacred place of prayer for Jewish people and the only remains of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. What we did not expect was just how difficult it would be to actually get to the wall, we had to carefully navigate our way through a labyrinth of walkways amongst hoards of people. Inevitably there were a couple of security checks just before reaching the wall, once past those we were privileged to witness such a spectacle. Although we understood its significance, we could see first hand just how much it meant to all touching the wall, the area was amassed with people praying in a way that almost made them look hypnotised, men and women were in separate areas. Despite the chaos and intensity it was also rather peaceful, you could almost feel a sense of relief from the people walking away from the wall after praying. Very enlightening and well worth the journey.
Overall Tel Aviv was an incredible experience, although at times a little frustrating, for example we were heavily questioned when leaving the country. The nightlife is very vibrant, everyone just wants to enjoy life and appreciate the essentials. One word of caution however, it’s a lot more expensive than you’d think! Highlight of the trip was probably that bar in Jaffa where we just watched the world go by, a very cultural experience to say the least.
